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The launch of ESPN BET tomorrow will bring in plenty of new users, brought in by ESPN's online, social, and television integration. The sportsbook will feature heavily on game broadcasts, across the network's various shows and across social.
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But will that alone be enough to reach a wide enough swath of new audiences?
The results from a Twitter poll we conducted on Monday morning engender quite a bit of skepticism.
Out of the 5,500 people that voted, roughly 32% of respondents said they'd contemplate creating an account with ESPN BET depending on how much — and how easily accessible — its new user promotion is.
Typically, sportsbooks utilize sizable no sweat first bet promotions — like bet365 at $1,000 — or deposit matches (like BetMGM, in which you can deposit $7,500 for $1,500 in bonus bets with the Action Network's exclusive code: TAN1500.)
Do you see yourself using ESPN/Penn’s new sportsbook, ESPN Bet?
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 13, 2023
A mere 5% said ESPN's branding would be the draw for them. But do keep in mind this is an unscientific poll. There will be users who — without their own knowledge — engage with the platform because of its ubiquity on Monday Night Football, College Football Gameday or other ESPN programming.
Only 11% of voters said a nice interface or better odds would make a difference.
And a stark 52% responded that they were happy with the books that they already use and aren't interested in making the switch.
This is the big fear — and PENN and ESPN’s biggest obstacle. Are they five and a half years too late? Most people don’t line shop. Most people don’t have more than two sportsbook apps. Which could mean that all the in-your-face branding could simply become noise instead of a key acquisition tool that cost PENN $1.5 billion over 10 years.
